Polished quartz crystals, are differentiated from standard quartz crystals by their surface finish. The surface finish of a typical quartz crystal is 5 RMS roughness (approximately 0.1 µm)—RMS is calculated as the Root Mean Square of a surfaces measured microscopic peaks and valleys—while the surface finish of a polished quartz crystal is approximately .01 micron. This level of polishing renders the quartz entirely transparent.
Polished crystals are ideal for a variety of research applications including light refraction. The reflective surface allows for excellent reflective properties. Polished crystals also have a more uniform surface that enables a greater level of sensitivity. Such characteristics are also good for ALD, which requires atomically accurate measurements.
